Many groupware applications and scheduling programs have included fixed reminders, which typically activate a reminder to reminder a user about a scheduled event, program, or meeting at a fixed time before the scheduled start of the event, program, or meeting. While event participants have found these reminders to be useful in helping prepare for meetings and events in a timely manner, in some instances the reminders are not as helpful.
For example, if an event has a scheduled reminder that is to be activated 15 minutes before the scheduled start, but the participant is 30 minutes away from the scheduled event when the 15 minute reminder is activated, then the participant will still be late to the event despite the 15 minute reminder. In other instances, if the participant has a reminder scheduled to be activated 30 minutes before a scheduled event but the user is only 10 minutes away, the participant may ignore the 30 minute reminder thinking that they have plenty of time to travel to the event and then may arrive late because they subsequently got distracted and forgot about the event.
To avoid these situations, there is a need for dynamic reminders that are able to be activated at various times depending on an amount of time needed to arrive on time to a scheduled event, meeting, or activity. By activating reminders dynamically based on a current location of a participant, the reminder may alert the participant about the event while the participant still has sufficient time to travel to the event and arrive on time without being presented too early so that the participant may forget altogether.